A Nashville man was arrested on charges including auto theft yesterday morning after leading Bartholomew County deputies and Columbus police on a chase.

A deputy tried to pull over a vehicle on State Road 46 at about 1:27 a.m. yesterday for a traffic stop, but the driver allegedly took off, according to Judy Jackson, spokeswoman with the sheriff’s department.

The chase finally ended at Old Nashville Road and the driver, 43-year-old Thomas R. Brockman allegedly barricaded himself inside the vehicle and threatened to harm himself. Deputy Leah Burton broke the window out of the vehicle and Columbus police dog Argo forced Brockman to surrender.

He is being held on preliminary charges of auto theft, resisting with a vehicle, driving while suspended with a prior incident, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.

The Actor’s Studio of Hope is presenting “Steel Magnolias,” starting tonight at WILLow LeaVes of Hope on the Hope Town Square.

Thursday night’s show starts at 7 p.m. and is a non-dinner show with a ticket price of $15 dollars. The show will also be performed Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week and next.

Dinner shows are $25 with doors opening at 5:30 p.m., dinner served at 6 p.m. and the play starting at 7 p.m. Sunday afternoons will feature a matinee performance, with dinner at 1 p.m. and the show at 2 p.m.

For more information and reservations, you can call WILLow LeaVes of Hope at 812-546-0640.

While you visit this year’s Bartholomew County 4-H Fair, Columbus officials are inviting you to stop by the city’s tent. Jeff Bergman, the city county planning director, says his department is especially interested in talking to you…

Those improvements can include…

Bergman says that you can find the city’s tent behind the St. Peter’s building at the fairgrounds.

Two more Bartholomew County projects have been accepted as bicentennial legacy projects by the state.

Lynn Lucas, local bicentennial organizer, says that a project by Ivy Tech students to install a mural on the side of the Jackson Street parking garage that cuts off Friendship Alley in downtown Columbus has been accepted. The state commission also approved a project to chronicle and celebrate the history of the Noblitt Falls Lagoons Neighborhood.

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NTN Driveshaft celebrated the company’s 25th anniversary in Columbus yesterday with a tree planting and luncheon for local officials and long-time employees.

The Japanese company has grown to become one of Bartholomew County’s largest employers.

Jason Hester, head of the Columbus Economic Development Board, explained the company’s importance.

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Barry Parkhurst, the company’s local vice president of administration, explains why Columbus has been a good fit for the company.

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Parkhurst said the Columbus factory has grown to become the largest NTN facility in the world and has filled most of its existing available space.

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Columbus native and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence didn’t get the nod yesterday to be Donald Trump’s running mate, but he is still in the running.

Pence introduced Trump last night at an event in Westfield Indiana.

Trump talked about Pence briefly during his speech. Trump said that America will be winning all the time if he is elected. Winning so much that Hoosiers will be calling up Pence to ask for less winning:

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NBC News is reporting that Trump will unveil his vice presidential pick on Friday. The Republican nominee and his running mate will appear at an event together that day.

Those reported to be on Trump’s short list are Pence, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Bartholomew County is moving ahead with a plan to purchase the Premier Ag headquarters on South Marr Road, to use as county offices.

Bartholomew County Commissioners asked the County Council Tuesday night to let the commissioners purchase, what they feel, is much needed office space at a cost of about $700,000. The money would come from the county’s telecommunications fund, which the commissioners have been accumulating for about 10 years.

The council voted to approve the purchase 6-0. Jorge Morales, who initially said that he was opposed to the purchase, abstained from the vote.

Commissioners President Rick Flohr said that the county still must get appraisals done. County Attorney Grant Tucker said the purchase price must meet the average of two appraisals of the property.

Columbus Police are investigating a pharmacy robbery that took place early Tuesday morning.

Lt. Matt Harris, CPD spokesman, says that officers were called to Walgreens, at 2400 Beam Road, at 4:10 a.m. During the robbery, he says

that a suspect passed a note to an employee demanding medication. Witnesses told police that the suspect fled the store a short time later with an unspecified amount of medication. No one was hurt.

The suspect was described as a white male wearing a long sleeved Indianapolis Colts t-shirt, with a dark undershirt, black gloves, and a blue “NTN” cap. Witnesses advised that the suspect appeared to have dirt/soot on his clothing.

Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact Sgt. Tom Foust at (812) 376-2642. CPD says that tips and information can be left anonymously.

Two Jennings County deputies were injured in a crash early this morning while searching for a reckless driver.

According to reports from the Indiana State Police, who are investigating the accident, deputies were in the area of State Road 750 at O and M Avenue at about 4:30 a.m. when Reserve Deputy Jason Littrell was making a U-turn in his marked car. Littrell’s vehicle was struck in the rear driver’s side by Deputy Thomas Mellencamp’s patrol car.

Mellencamp was treated at Jennings St. Vincent for minor injuries. Littrell was also treated at Jennings St. Vincent for serious injuries before being flown to St. Vincent in Indianapolis. State police say his injuries are not life-threatening.

As the city of North Vernon works to become self-sufficient, providing fire coverage for the entire city, Fire Chief Mike Cole provided members of the City Council with a “road-map” of what it will take to get there.

Chief Cole explained that, typically, North Vernon doesn’t see many large fires. The need, he says, is in rescue training and equipment. Cole says that when he talks to representatives of area factories, they speak about the need for this type of service from the department. Cole says that he is hopeful that these businesses will be willing to contribute to the purchase of the needed equipment and training.

Cole says that one of his more immediate goals is to get better personnel coverage for the department, with six firefighters on each shift. Doing so, he says, will likely improve response efforts and reduce the need for other departments to help in responding to local fires.

Cole also discussed capital needs, including a new fire station. He says that one of the buildings is utilized as a storage facility for a spare engine, while another station on Madison Avenue houses personnel. In the coming years, Cole told council members that he would like to see a new station built on the city’s east side.

The most expensive item on Chief Cole’s list was an aerial truck. He says that he expects the city’s current truck to either need replaced, or refurbished, within five years. Today’s cost for refurbishing is approximately $500,000. The cost for a new, “bare-bones” aerial truck, said Cole, is $1.5 million. He stressed that, even though the vehicle would be brand new, it would not have the amenities that the city’s current truck has.

Cole stressed to the council that the capital needs aren’t immediate, but he wants the body to be aware of what will be coming in the future. Council members thanked the chief for his forward-thinking, noting that knowing what is coming may help them figure out different ways to possibly pay for the department’s needs.